Violin sound.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks rob; yes the Wago connectors are brilliant; I also use them in the workshop when I'm making temporary connections to things like electric motors on the bench saving lots of frustration and they can be used over and over again; for such small items the spring levers are powerful.

Thanks also rob for your kind comments; lots of my endeavors aren't really related to stringed instruments but I add them for interest and to show members do have other hobbies or in my case no end of hard graft to do. Rotavating is hard enough but hardly fun on such a steep site as ours and I've had no end of hard work clearing the hedges and many tall trees.

Here's one of two identical garden huts I made and please notice the steepness of our garden compared to the wall; the wall is built level, the house above the hut is dug into the valley side having downstairs bedrooms.

I'm sorry to learn of your ongoing Vodafone hassles and hope Giganet will be your answer; I looked at Giganet this morning but it's not yet available in our area. I'm like you rob suffering no end of problems with broadband supplier; our TV on YouTube died last night failing to come back on so we resorted to memory stick movie; 5:50 this morning I was up and hoping to have breakfast before heading out to the supermarkets; I like to watch YouTube during breakfast but once again because I wanted something related to violins the TV was still dead; I wanted to watch video's of Amazing Grace so it shows whatever time I want something to do with violins my constant bad luck kicks in; I can't even watch violins on YouTube at the crack of dawn; my life has to be lived to be believed; our TV is still dead but earlier I found out Virgin Media have yet ANOTHER problem and are working hard on it the TV should be working by midday but as expected it isn't; in fairness I assumed it to be midday today so I might be mistaken. Good luck rob.

Thanks Raymond; I hope you've now got a huge smile on your face and Giganet is fully up and running; I'm watching yours and robs progress with Giganet I might need to swap in November. Thanks yes the meadows look beautiful in full bloom; the first two years they were stunning but the last two years our dire climate flattened them so in disgust I strimmed the lot sick of seeing all my hard work so easily spoiled; fingers crossed the meadows will once again put on a wonderful display this year. The wildflower seeds are cheap enough bought from;

https://www.meadowmania.co.uk/wild-...d/wildflower-instant-sunshine-mini-meadow.htm

I've had a session digging the stumps this morning; I was wearing my heavy "Site" coat against the cold prevailing breeze but ended up wet with sweat so had to knock off but I'd had enough for today. All I dream about is peace to get into the studio to play my violins but living here ensures I'm kept very busy; it's a big detached bungalow just for the two of us with plenty of steep garden but we love our home and it's position with panoramic views across the valley. We've just paid our council tax in full all £2,112.04 of it so the council can now close more local roads to cars to make way for buses and cycles.

Now do I wander into the studio or up the mountain to attack the stumps; up the mountain gets my vote because I don't do "easy".

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I'm wet with sweat again having done more digging; how about these for a bit of fun Raymond;

19" of pure joy.

The bottom one is 14" not surprising considering the trees were up to 65' tall. I'm sure I'll enjoy getting these out then there are more still to get out.

I'm enjoying a mug of tea then I'll wander into the studio and reintroduce myself to my violins. I was wrong about Virgin Media sorting the TV problem out by midday today; it's midday Wednesday they must be converting to electric from steam power at last.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Just keep digging, Colin.
On my estate, in the first lockdown, a man set about removing a hedge of mature, way too tall conifers.
A job similar to yours. Think he tired himself out, and then left the trickiest stumps.
I think they went in the end.
The deeper you dig, the less wood you have to cut.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond. I'm permanently tired with heavy work but it keeps me fit and very active; I've had a go again this morning digging the stumps out but after 15 minutes called it a day; I was being buffeted by the cold wind and didn't have a short rope to hold my cap on. Yes the deeper I dig I just end up with bigger piles of dirt and stones.

I enjoyed a violin practice yesterday and will wander into the studio this afternoon; I want to try playing the "Traditional" Amazing Grace score but it's a lot different to Judy Collins score with symbols I don't yet recognize,

Judy Collins score is all sharp no flats but this traditional score has 7 lines of flats and 3 lines of sharps; the heavy black rectangle on AB I don't yet understand but I believe the small rectangle shown above semplice is "rest" until GC it's all so interesting but also frustrating but challenging which I like.

Virgin Media TV is still down but how kind of them to just send me this;

It goes on to resetting the router etc all this already done many times even by their technician; the problem isn't with my end it's signal loss from VM so no amount of checking by me is going to do anything other than keep winding the big key up in my back. Yesterday A Yorkshire Water guy was here attaching a device to the water meter; this allows the van to drive by and as it does it activates the device sending a reading to the van and as soon as the van is out of range the device goes to sleep; battery life about ten years. Whilst here he told me a friend had just gone with "Cityfiber" saying it's about four times faster and cheaper; Cityfiber a few weeks ago had most of our local lane dug up whilst laying new cable; it was a massive job with huge disruption but as yet we haven't access to it although by November it should be available. TV is supposed to be back on at midday today; I'm not holding my breath and I'm sick of hearing about check cables and connections.

I'm looking forward to a bit of peace in the studio this afternoon; will it happen.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

I'm a little confused by "7 lines of flats and 3 lines of sharps" - it is in F Major, so the ONLY flat is every Bb - the middle line. The big black bar with 3 above it means 3 bars rest. As nobody is playing the accompaniment, you just ignore it - in the piano part it would be playing on it's own. The little rectangle above the B line means 2 beats rest - as the piece is in 3/4 it's two beats rest then you play the C on a down bow, which is that little V above the note. Semplice is just an indication to play it simply, without embellishment or cleverness. GC? C F??? Rests all have precise lengths - treat them like silent notes, not gaps. It's a sort of thing to keep an eye on. Brass players in soul, jazz and funk music often have twenty bars rest, then one note - so getting that one note in the right place means careful counting. Worth noting that this arrangeement of the well known tune is actually different from lots of common ones - so playing what is written rather than what your head says is tricky. This one goes a-May-ze,e,ing grace while the slower versions go a-a-May-ze,e,ing. It's also a waltz!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I must test your patience rob; thanks for this information which I trying to put into practice; I've just enjoyed a violin practice playing both Judy Collins and making a start on the Traditional Amazing Grace; they sound so different to each other and no doubt there are other variations too.

Judy Collins score above with all the sharps.

Traditional with both sharps & flats which has thrown me but thanks to you rob I've a better idea now. Please bear with me; if I don't know I ask. Thanks also for fully explaining the 3 bars and 2 beats rest; I understood the beats rest because I think it was you much earlier kindly explained it; on top of this I'm now aware of the numbers too; I do know up and down bow; I'm going to struggle a lot rob but I'm sticking with it.

Many thanks to Virgin Media we're now without TV until at least the 25th and even then I've got serious doubts; my own thoughts on these loss of signal problems is that the equipment might by now require replacing after all the local boxes are over 35 years old.

The 60" farm jack has arrived and it sure is heavy but appears excellent value for money; it's going to tire me out just carrying it up the garden.

Thanks once again rob for your continuing patience; you've got plenty of problems of your own. Raymond's gone quiet though I bet he's overwhelmed now having Giganet; finger's crossed it was installed without issues.

Kind regards, Colin

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Rests are on page 18 of the little yellow book.

I drove past that house today, and noticed the big stumps are still there. He obviously needs to rest for a couple of years, before having another go.

Yesterday A Yorkshire Water guy was here attaching a device to the water meter; this allows the van to drive by and as it does it activates the device sending a reading to the van and as soon as the van is out of range the device goes to sleep; battery life about ten years.

I knew this would come sooner or later. I hope you can still read the water meter manually. I read all my meters every couple of months.

It has been about 3 years from CityFibre digging the streets to services being offered.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Colin, Im still here.
The second score there where it starts with one b flat, and then changes to one sharp, changes key there from FMaj to GMaj.
The first score would also have to change key, probably on the next page, as it is more spread out.
I'm guessing it will change to 6 sharps.

 

[rob aylestone]

Ah - I see, key changes within a piece of music - quite common, and the cleverness in key changes is a subject in itself. I remember so well playing bass for a production of Me and My Girl, and doing the first playthough with the cast, and discovering it went through virtually all the keys.
When Keys change - the old key is usually replaced pretty obviously to stop it being missed. Worth remembering that most instruments have easy keys and hard keys. Guitars with their open strings that feature in many simple chords mean Keys of 3 and 4 Sharps (A and E) are common. On the piano C - on the white notes is very common - and G and F (all Major Keys) mean just one sharp or flat, Since I've had my real piano, I'm discovering that I quite like 'black note' keys and don;t get too freaked out by them - when in the past, I have avoided keys like B and Db.

 

[rob aylestone]

Forgot to ask Colin - can you post a link or the pages to some of the music and I'll knock up a track for you to try - just want to make sure it fits your violin music properly - like those rest bars. Sometimes a player in a band gets a piece of music to play that is totally rests - one of those big block rests with the number of no play bars, or more often the word 'Tacet' written - and they sit and play nothing at all!

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Since I've had my real piano, I'm discovering that I quite like 'black note' keys and don;t get too freaked out by them -

Me too. I dont mind many sharps or flats on a keyboard. Not so for the guitar.

Sometimes a player in a band gets a piece of music to play that is totally rests - one of those big block rests with the number of no play bars,

I hate this. When I was in a guitar orchestra, I always got totally lost, being silent for 10 bars, with fireworks going off all around. Trying to count bars when you don't have their parts in front of you.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond; a lot still goes over my head but as I progress I remember quite a bit of what you and rob has been telling me. I confess I'd totally forgotten the two small books I bought on your kind recommendation; at the time when I bought them I started to read each but quickly my eyes started to glaze over; so much information to take in all at once but thanks for reminding me I've got both these books in the studio and now I've gained more experience I think they'll start to make more sense. Any more symbols on music scores I can refer to them; I don't like wasting members time if I can help myself.

I'm not bothering with the stumps today the weather is dire with high wind; rain and it's cold; once the weather allows I'll concentrate on getting the stumps out and creating the middle wildflower meadow; I've also got lots of pressure washing to do; the jobs never let up here.

Thanks for asking Raymond; I've seldom bothered reading any of our meters only reading when requested to send a reading in; gas is automatic having a smart meter but electric I need to send a monthly reading in because an electric smart meter cannot be installed due to the gas meter in the way; we have separate suppliers for these. I hope Virgin Media get their act together if Cityfiber take so long to get up and running; I'd have thought Skye to be the most reliable not requiring cables? I'm struggling with the violin so piano & guitar are light years out of my league at the moment but each time these get mentioned I learn a bit more.

Thanks rob; I must be progressing and noticing more; it's interesting how important the little numbers are; I hadn't noticed the heavy black bars were different lengths and still hadn't until you kindly mentioned the numbers; I haven't yet mastered counting the note lengths because I'm so preoccupied just playing the violin and learning to sight read but at the moment I just guess by looking at the score; in time it will all fall into place and even now I'm starting to notice so much more.

You've got enough problems of your own rob and it's so generous of you to give up time helping me but I don't want to take advantage; the music I'm learning is "Somewhere My Love" "Amazing Grace" and "Ode To Joy" I keep having a go at all three and do spend a bit of time recording and playing back; when I feel happy I'll record and post a short session but until then I've so much to learn with all my studio gear with so many adjustments at times I feel I'm going backwards and losing the plot; I'm not going to learn playing a violin without putting in the many hours of practice; I'm trying to practice each day though; what I hear at the violin is totally different to what I hear through the monitors; even the stereo monitors sound a lot different to the HiFi Sony speakers I have hooked up to the radio where I play from memory stick; my two interfaces and even my two amps sound different to each other; I need to put in the time finding best combination to suit me one that sounds good on play back.

It's highly likely I'm trying so hard to master everything at once not just concentrating on violin playing; I do enjoy struggling with something new and violins and studio gear are definitely new to me.

I was very puzzled rob when I looked at the traditional Amazing Grace; I knew the small rectangle meant rest but the heavy black line I hadn't a clue about so thanks to you I've progressed a bit further and simply start playing from the first note GC.

What I need to do now is to concentrate on clearing jobs like the stumps; rotavator restoration & pressure washing etc and once I get on top the warmer weather should be here making violin practicing a real pleasure without so much heavy work always hanging over me; the vintage rotavator once restored will be a huge help it being self powered making my life easier; with the stumps out I can sort out the middle meadow and then all three meadows can be left well alone to bloom for months; it's all coming together at last; in the meantime I'll keep practicing whenever I can; I'll have a mug of tea then I'll wander into the studio; I've cracked it too with the studio heating; I used to switch on the central heating radiator which took at least half an hour get the studio comfortable but now I wander in and switch on the newly installed wall fan heater giving rapid heating.

Hail forecast for tomorrow; typical Yorkshire weather but only wind and rain today.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

What could be good for that repeating melody in Ode to Joy is a track that maybe just repeats it over and over, starting with the melody, then adding say a bass instrument, then you join in on the third go, then some drop out again? A sort of long round robin so you take your sheet music and join in at the right point and let it just carry on. If you make a big mistake and stop, just wait and it comes round again. Can you just take a picture of the music you are playing, and I'll use that as a guide?

Amazing Grace is actually a bit strange, because it can be arranged as a waltz, or in more common 4/4. Different numbers of notes in each bar, but plainly the same song!
EDIT
Found the score you posted - it's in D Major, so that's OK - but I did notice one more little oddness in score writing - the very last line - notice the little rit at the end - it means gradually slow down for those last three note - to sort of finish it off.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

This really is so generous of your rob; thank you.

These two rob are actual scores I'm practicing playing if it helps. I've got a car radio hooked up to the stereo Sony speakers and I can load a memory stick; the radio has a repeat function which I've used whilst practicing Somewhere my love sung by Andy Williams; I'm sure it will be a huge help.

The "little rit" at the end is this the shallow angle shown as PP if so then does the angle two lines up pointing the opposite direction mean speed up? The first DG at the end has a dot so this must be a very long note. I really should get into the studio but I'm a bit side tracked; my lovely wife isn't well so I've been filling hot water bottles and also trying to sort out movies which I have on stick but many don't play because they're in AVI; I've converted some to MP4 but the free conversion program I've used now corrupts my computer hence I've deleted it; everything is back to normal with the computer but these small problems take up so much of my time; I can't even do and digging in the garden because it keeps bucketing down with rain. Not moaning just the way it is for me; my wife has spoiled me rotten for 46 years so now I'm happy to spoil her as much as I can.

I'm finding Ode To Joy far easier to play than Amazing Grace.

Thanks again rob.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

A quick post for a change; rather than keep asking basic questions I do lots of research on the web and through YouTube. Following is a very interesting and informative page I've just found explaining the basics which is ideal for me;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_symbols

So much information all in the same place making it a great deal easier for me to learn. I'll print this off for studio reference and save it to my violin file.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

That's a good post, Colin. Contains a load of stuff, I've never heard of.
There's always plenty you don't know, however many years you've been at it.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond; yes it really is good; so much of what I need all in one place saving lots of time looking through books or browsing the web for bits of information; I like to help myself as much as possible.

I enjoyed a violin practice this morning; I'm now trying to practice at least once each day; I've noticed though rob is correct in that I should not concentrate on just one music score because it doesn't improve my sight reading at all it just becomes automatic knowing which note comes next so I'm mixing a number of scores; it's not easy whilst I'm still learning basics but it's really nice trying.

I think Virgin Media are doing their best to wind me up; I received a letter from them today price is going up but they've generously increased my download speed from 100 meg to about 135 meg; jolly decent of them considering I also received a letter from BT stating "Save £400 vs Virgin Media M500" BT full fiber ave speed 500M for quite a bit less than we are paying VM for only 135M. we've still no TV until at least midday tomorrow then will it come back on; we've been without TV for about six days and I like VM style letting us know the price is going up; VM can dream on.

Roll on warm dry weather; it's bucketed down on and off today; April showers? The forecast was for light rain but I don't think Yorkshire understands light rain.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[TalismanRich]

Surely VM is compensating you for the lack of service, right? If you're without service for a week of the month, your bill should probably be cut by about 25%, but I'm sure VM doesn't think that way.

 

[rob aylestone]

Maybe it is also time to introduce some other essential things. Your music so far has a variety of sharps and flats which makes your fingers have to play more notes, so maybe scales and arpegios need to come now? Start on the bottom open string and play the major scale, going up as high as you can on the top string when you get there. Then move up a semi-tone, and try again. It will force your fingers to need to go to new positions. Start slowly, make sure your notes are in tune and gently speed up. You can try arpegios too - G-B-D-G-D-B-G, then start on a new string and repeat the positions. If you just carry on with the same music your progress will slow as memory takes over from concious thought. Muscle memory creeps in and you don't even have to think.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Talisman Rich; I enjoy a good joke. I came up from the workshop about twenty minutes ago and WOW when I checked our VM account; NO ISSUES WITH OUR TV; great since then I've spent the time trying to bump start our TV but it still shows "No Signal" back into our VM account and surprise surprise now we have a TV issue in our area; VM are driving us mad; for the umpteenth time I've reset the box and we're absolutely fed up looking at No Signal; we've also run out of movies on memory stick; a couple of nights ago whilst trying to find a movie that would play it all got through to me; some movies on AVI work but lots don't hence I spent ages trying to find one that would play in the end I succeeded; it really did annoy me and I wondered what all this frustration was doing to my blood pressure; taking a BP reading I found it to be 147 which is alarming; the following morning before touching a remote my BP was back at 118. I'm sorry to bang on about this but it's turning my life upside down not only TV issues but broadband can crash taking my email with it at any time; if it carries on I've a sledge hammer in the garden hut and my usual very long patience is rapidly running out.

Many thanks rob for your kind help and suggestions; yes I'll move on a bit and have a go; I've already tried playing scales lots of times; my short term memory is very poor; however hard I try to remember notes I simply forget; I've used the electronic tuner to get me near though and I can remember the finger position; I can tell sharps by moving my finger a bit but not from memory at least not yet although I keep trying. I've also for interest used all four fingers on all four strings experimenting to see what tunes I could come up with; the results were mixed but interesting. Yes I've noticed as I keep playing the same scores they start to become very familiar as you say I'm probably playing on automatic like a robot; in my favour I'm still struggling but won't give up. I'm just bogged down with this Virgin Media problem which is incredibly annoying; we've been given two separate dates and times when the issue will be resolved now no date or time just WORKING ON IT. The weather is dire preventing me cracking on getting the tree stumps out so this morning to break free I went into the workshop to resume work restoring the vintage rotavator; it seems whichever way I turn there's yet another problem; after dinner the world might end because I plan to wander into the studio and dare pick up my violin. Sorry if I'm moaning but I can't move forward at all and there's still no let up.

Thanks again rob; I'll print your informative post and take it into the studio this afternoon.

Kind regards, Colin.